Questions tagged [trombone]
A brass wind instrument with a cylindrical bore expanding into a bell and bent twice in a U shape, whose length can be varied by a slide.
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Can a trombone sound as brittle as in *f* dynamics, yet as quiet as in *mf*?
In my music editor, the trombone sounds very different in mp and mf dynamics compared to f dynamics. In mf, it has a soft quality—almost like a French horn—and mp is nearly the same, just a bit ...
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Why do trombones often play differently?
I am not sure if my observation is correct, but more often than not, I have seen in various videos that trombones are playing different parts when they presumably are supposed to play the same thing. ...
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Black Powder on Mouthpiece
I have just bought a new copper trombone mouthpiece and it left a black residue on my lips after using for the first time. Does anyone know what this could be?
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Trombone choir and French Horn choir
I’m interested in combining two instrumental groups: a trombone choir and a French horn choir.
There seems to be a lot of compositions for either trombone choir, or for French horn choir, but not for ...
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Sputtery tonging on Trombone when playing music
For some reason, whenever I play a piece of music (in this case, H. Vincent's 'Air for Baritone/Cornet'), I find that my tonging is very stutters and rough between notes, yet if I play one note, low ...
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How fast can a trombone play?
How fast can a trombone play? It looks like the trombone is very limited, as opposed to other classical music instruments, in terms of tempo - a player cannot quickly pass from one note to another as ...
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Convert regular trombone slide into tuning-in-slide
Is is possible to convert a regular trombone slide into a tuning-in-slide? I know a few manufacturers currently offer a TIS version, but is it possible to convert a regular one into TIS? Thank you.
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Can the trombone be played left-handed?
Conventionally a tenor trombone is held in the left hand, with the bell crook over the left shoulder, and the slide is moved with the right hand.
Is there any reason a left-handed player shouldn't ...
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How to write a trombone cadenza?
Lately I've been working on writing a trombone concerto for an amateur composition contest. As part of that, I want to conclude the first movement with a cadenza. Since the contest requires that you ...
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What are good range limits for STARTING a phrase?
Range suggestions abound online, divided by skill level, resonance, and so on. Range is also a big part of trumpet culture: how do trumpet players flex on each other? "I can play higher than you.&...
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What does laissez vibrer mean on a wind instrument?
I'm a bassoonist and when I play in a wind band I often get given a trombone part.
Sometimes I have to transpose a score because it is in E♭𝄞. And sometimes I have to transpose passages that are too ...
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How can I improve my ear for intonation?
I play tenor trombone, possibly switching to bass trombone. I need to improve my ear for tuning and noticing whether or not I am either sharp or flat. How can I practice in this area?
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Transcribing trombone parts - mid 1800s music
I'm preparing some mid 1800s orchestral music for performance and I have some difficulties dealing with the trombone parts. It's mostly 2-part but occasionaly third voice appears (it's all written on ...
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Eric Cook 'Bolivar': Should the B natural in bar 55 be B flat?
I'm studying Eric Cook's 'Bolivar' (1954) for trombone. At the end of bar 55, there is B natural that sounds way off to me. Measure 55 is the third bar shown below; the score is in tenor clef, key ...
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On trombone is there a counterpart of "half valve"?
Players of brass instruments with piston valves can smear a note by depressing the valves slightly, which broadens the "slot" allowing the player to portamento smoothly between two notes.
Is ...
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Lip Trilling on Lower Notes
I am playing "One Mint Julep" in my jazz band (trombone 4 part). I have a G3 note with a short lip trill. I usually see lip trills on higher notes, so what is a proficient way to play these? ...
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What is the correct name for this instrument?
I guess it's some type of trombone, but I can't find its correct name anywhere.
P.S. If you're wondering, here's where I got this shot from:
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How to indicate flutter technique in a score?
And so the question:
I would like to indicate a certain bar in a trombone score using the flutter technique. How can I label and remove it correctly?
I mean labels like for strings pizz and arco
By ...
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Trombone - meaning of "do not clip notes"
I'm studying with the Alessi & Bowman version of Arban's method for trombone and euphonium.
Quite often, for instance when studying slurs, grace notes and arpeggios, one advice is to not clip a ...
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Why is the superbone not used more often?
I saw that there is an instrument known as the 'Superbone'. With the slide of a trombone and additional valves like a trumpet, you'd think you would have the best of both worlds. So why is this ...
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Small bore trombone in philharmonic orchestra - Berlioz symphonie fantastique
I was listening to this recording of Berlioz symphony by the French orchestra "Orchestre philharmonique de Radio France".
After having a laugh about the clarinetist suffering from the ...
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Attacking the G above staff on tenor trombone
On tenor trombone, I have an issue playing the G above staff (concert pitch bass clef). My attack is really ugly, crackling. I more than often miss it, playing either on 2+ position or 4th position.
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Standard slide positions for notes above high C
What are the standard / usual tenor trombone slide positions for notes above high C? None of the charts I have found online goes beyond C (e.g., below).
I managed to find D and E positions on my ...
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How do harmonic tones get "out of tune" on a brass instrument?
In a video I saw, a guy was reviewing a prototype trombone, and he said that "the high f is out of tune" (the sixth overtone) I don't understand how a fixed length of tubing (1st position) can produce ...
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Preparing for Auditions after time away
I used to play the trombone religiously when I was in school but during my second year of college I had to give it up. I haven't played in a group or on my own for more than a couple hours over the ...
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What’s a Soli and do I have to play it
I’m working on music for a band that has multiple parts and I will be playing the third part for my section, but I’m first for that part. There’s a section marked “soli”. Am I correct in assuming that ...
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I don't recognize the symbol on top of this note. What is it, and how does it affect the note?
This is a picture of the note and the symbol. It's part of a blues trombone solo. I would like to know what the symbol is and how I should play it.
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Is it a bad idea to learn tuba and trombone at the same time?
My 12-year-old son's new tuba instructor told us that it was a terrible idea to learn trombone while learning tuba. I am not familiar with the brass instrument. So is there truth to it?
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How to get a fuller tone from a small bore trombone?
I have an old 1962 conn 18h with a copper bell that has a
.484 bore. I am generally playing lower pieces that don’t sound as good as the high register. Is there any way (other than a new mouthpiece ...
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Regaining trombone embouchure after 3 years off
I am looking for advice. After 3 years I would like to return to playing trombone (I stopped- due to braces). Now I can't form my embouchure correctly (no vibrations) :(
Do you have some ...
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"Only open voicing below middle C!" Really?
Every resource I've seen and person I've talked to has said that putting low voices, usually trombones, in close spacing anywhere below C4 is to be avoided at all costs, due to muddiness. As I arrange,...
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Spud Murphy tune calls for "Red Mute" on trumpet and trombone parts
In my 25 years of playing, I've never heard of a "red mute". Any ideas? My bandleader said it meant a cup, but later in the song, it had us use plungers while still muted (the notation was pretty ...
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Bass trumpet vs. valve trombone
Apart from the obvious external form difference, how do a bass trumpet and a valve trombone differ?
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Bass Trombone in G or F
I play in a community brass band and have just taken up the trombone. I'd like to use my tenor trombone (in b flat) to play bass trombone parts where necessary. A lot of the bass trombone parts are ...
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How do I learn to use the plunger mute for a solo? What is a good simple exercise?
I want to use the plunger mute for a solo (baby elephant walk). I can play it without the plunger, but I have no idea what I'm doing with the plunger. It is totally uncomfortable.
Balance is ...
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Why do some trombone players put their index finger over the mouthpiece while playing?
I've recently started playing the trombone for fun (read: I'm not taking lessons). I've noticed when watching many trombonists on video and in pictures that they often put their index finger over the ...
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Counting long rests in music
So, in orchestra we got given Bolero and the third trombone part has 236 rests before we come in (yes I counted). If you're wondering, I'm not some professional player, I'm the youngest in the group ...
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Are there different type of lacquer problems?
Hello fellow musicians!
Directly related to my previous question.
I checked my new trombone again for lacquer problems. I saw three different types of missing lacquer.
At the slide handle, the ...
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Bach Stradivarius LT42 restoration
I got a Bach LT42 with quart valve for few Euros, worth about € 1000,-.
Now the trombone was built in the 1980s, so its material is brilliant, the sound is really great!
The caveat: It’s in quite ...
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N.V. Meaning in Jazz
I play in a big band.
One arrangement we play has "N.V." In quite a lot of the parts. Particularly in trombone and saxophone parts.
Any ideas what it might mean?
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Can a baritone be used for a trombone part?
I am making a brass quintet, and I need two trumpets, a horn, a trombone, and a tuba. I have all except the trombone. Can a baritone substitute for the trombone part? Will it have a similar tone and/...
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Trombone (or any other brass instrument really) construction material
I'm not really sure where to post this question:
As a trombone player, I've never understood why aluminum is never used in brass instrument manufacturing. It's seldom mentioned on the internet either. ...
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What types of orchestra degrees are there
I am doing an Essay about careers we want to be and I am writing about being a musician. I had a question that I could not find anywhere on the internet: What type of degrees there are in music? I am ...
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Reading trombone notes
I'm reading notes for my trombone for band, and there's these quarter notes, sometimes half notes, on top of another quarter note or half note. I have no idea what this means please help me!!! Band is ...
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Muting my trombone
Playing the trombone in a jazz band sometimes a damper is required to mute the trombone or to play effects as wah-wah. I'm playing at intermediate level and I'm fresh to any kind of muting my ...
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Why are some major trombone solos written for the 2nd player rather than the Principal?
Does anyone happen to know why it is that several major trombone solos (Rimsky-Korsakov's Russian Easter Festival Overture and Scheherazade for example) are indicated in the 2nd Trombone Part rather ...
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Doubling Trumpet and Trombone
I have been playing the trumpet for two years now. I decided on May of the current year to buy a Trombone and play the Trombone as well.
I was getting a really nice tone on the Trumpet but now, for ...
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Noation of music concerning the Trombone Player
When a Trombone player read music from the Treble Clef How does he/she reads it, does he/she reads middle C an Octave down?
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Role of muscle memory vs. ear-based micro-adjustments in non-fixed-note instruments
Many instruments have fixed notes tuned according to equal temperament, but some don't. The most common examples are the violin family, the trombone, and the human voice, but one can also find ...
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How to make a more "mature" trombone sound?
I'm in my 8th year playing the trombone, and will be entering my first year in University at the beginning of next year. I started recording myself playing recently, and one of the first things that I ...
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